In the US, some people seem to be very proud of the fact that they have a psychiatrist, and are quick to list all the meds they are currently on. I don't know if that's because they honestly see it as great (like boasting of your battle scars), or if it's their way of reassuring themselves it's all OK. I know one lady with bipolar, and her whole life seems to revolve around her sessions with her psychiatrist.

I don't have any particular view about it in general; everyone has their reasons for doing what they want or need to. I just know I never want to see a psychiatrist for myself.

In the United States seeing a psychiatrist doesn't have a social stigma stuck to it, like it does in other countries like Ireland or the UK. The normal cultural view in American society of someone going to a psychiatrist is they are getting better and people don't have negative views about a person that goes to one. But in Ireland or the UK if you see a psychiatrist people think that your sick person and your crazy.

I was wondering what is norm for what people in your country think about people that see a psychiatrist or a psychologist?

This is exacly why us Britis think all Americans are crazy. Just joking. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but psychiatrists are the same as therapist right? It seems to be really normal for Americans couples to go to therapy sessions together, but as you said the people in the UK normally wouldn't go see a professional unless they have a really big problem that can't be solved behind closed doors.

I know in metropolitans cities like Hong Kong and Macau, the only people who go to therapy are either really rich and don't have any friends to talk to so they pay therapists to talk to them, or they have actual mental disorders and really need the treatment.

Therapist are people that talk to you about your problems and psychiatrist are the ones that write your prescriptions. So you have to get a Doctor of Medicine and the practice as a psychiatric resident for another four years to be a psychiatrist. For the most part people that go to a psychiatrist here in America have real problems from being mild to severe. Also, people that are low, middle, high on the economic latter can see a psychiatrist.

In the United States seeing a psychiatrist doesn't have a social stigma stuck to it, like it does in other countries like Ireland or the UK. The normal cultural view in American society of someone going to a psychiatrist is they are getting better and people don't have negative views about a person that goes to one. But in Ireland or the UK if you see a psychiatrist people think that your sick person and your crazy.

I was wondering what is norm for what people in your country think about people that see a psychiatrist or a psychologist?

That's not completely true. A lot of Americans view people who go to a shrink as being whiny or spoiled, unless the patient is suffering from a disorder/dysfunction.

Your right but I am talking about the general consensus of the American public not being hostilely negative. In U.K it is different; there is a large negative social stigma.

Depends really on why you are seeing someone. I assume by psychiatrist you actually mean either a therapist or a psychologist. The psychiatrist is the doctor that prescribes you meds whereas the therapist or psychologist is the one who sits down and talks with you each week. A clinical psychologist can actually do both.

If you are going for something like couples counseling, there really isn't much stigma. If you go for something else though, it really all depends. I've not really made any effort to conceal my Schizoaffective Disorder diagnosis (depressive type). I don't really talk about it, but some people have found out (I figure I'm pretty anonymous here so no big deal). I found though that when certain people did find out about it, they quietly walked away. They never said anything to me about it. They just quietly stopped taking my calls and removed me from their facebook, google+, and twitter accounts. It's kind of depressing really. You think people are your friends, but when something like this comes into play you see who are the real deal and who were just faking it as fair weather friends.

As a kid, I was taught that a man was supposed to be tough and never cry. Well, I turned out pretty different from what I was taught as a kid. I'm not a whiner by any means, but I'm not your typical guzzle-a-6-pack-and-get-plastered kind of man. I'm calm. I don't drink, smoke, or party hard. I'm polite, caring, compassionate, I lookout for women and children...you know, all the things most women wish a man would be most of the time.

But some people are afraid to leave me around children because I'm a crazy person! (insert sarcastic tone) I'm non violent. I've never been to prison. I don't argue at all. I'm never confrontational. I don't abuse drugs. I never cuss in front of my mother (out of respect for her) or in front of children. I don't stay out late. I don't drink and drive. I never get in trouble with the law...yet I'm the bad guy because I sometimes hear voices and see things that aren't real.

I think people assume if you are schizophrenic that you have no control over yourself. That's absolutely not true. Obviously there are a few bad apples that were diagnosed and became violent, but most of us aren't violent at all. In fact, many of us (myself included) were victims of violence. It feels like people think all voices that we hear tell us to go do something stupid or hurt someone. That's not true. Again, there can be times where voices will be abusive and very intrusive, but it's not always like that for all of us. I've never once in my life had one of my voices EVER tell me to hurt someone or commit a crime. I cannot speak for everyone else. I guess maybe, in that sense, I've had an easier time than some. Sometimes they'll say some wild stuff, but never have they condoned or pushed me to be violent.

I guess you could say here in the US the stigma is in the diagnosis and not just going to see a therapist. I know a woman who had some problems with depression so she took an antidepressant and no one batted an eye. At the same time though, I had another female friend who was diagnosed as bipolar and she gets avoided like the plague. Sure, the illnesses are different, but they are still people. After I was diagnosed, people automatically assumed I had voices in my head that were telling me to go kill a bunch of people. That's completely false. People just assume such things. I think a lot of it has to do with what people are exposed to. Most people who aren't familiar with these illnesses only know what they've seen on TV and in movies and often times a mentally ill person is portrayed as violent and hateful. Most of us are just trying to get through life like everyone else.

It's all kind of sad, really. I've found it best just to not even mention it to anyone at all. People often don't know how to react to it. If they do react at all, it's almost always negative unless they themselves have been touched by mental illness in some way. If I talk to people in my group about it, it's no big deal at all. If I try to talk to anyone else about it, they usually walk away.

Depends really on why you are seeing someone. I assume by psychiatrist you actually mean either a therapist or a psychologist. The psychiatrist is the doctor that prescribes you meds whereas the therapist or psychologist is the one who sits down and talks with you each week. A clinical psychologist can actually do both.

If you are going for something like couples counseling, there really isn't much stigma. If you go for something else though, it really all depends. I've not really made any effort to conceal my Schizoaffective Disorder diagnosis (depressive type). I don't really talk about it, but some people have found out (I figure I'm pretty anonymous here so no big deal). I found though that when certain people did find out about it, they quietly walked away. They never said anything to me about it. They just quietly stopped taking my calls and removed me from their facebook, google+, and twitter accounts. It's kind of depressing really. You think people are your friends, but when something like this comes into play you see who are the real deal and who were just faking it as fair weather friends.

As a kid, I was taught that a man was supposed to be tough and never cry. Well, I turned out pretty different from what I was taught as a kid. I'm not a whiner by any means, but I'm not your typical guzzle-a-6-pack-and-get-plastered kind of man. I'm calm. I don't drink, smoke, or party hard. I'm polite, caring, compassionate, I lookout for women and children...you know, all the things most women wish a man would be most of the time.

But some people are afraid to leave me around children because I'm a crazy person! (insert sarcastic tone) I'm non violent. I've never been to prison. I don't argue at all. I'm never confrontational. I don't abuse drugs. I never cuss in front of my mother (out of respect for her) or in front of children. I don't stay out late. I don't drink and drive. I never get in trouble with the law...yet I'm the bad guy because I sometimes hear voices and see things that aren't real.

I think people assume if you are schizophrenic that you have no control over yourself. That's absolutely not true. Obviously there are a few bad apples that were diagnosed and became violent, but most of us aren't violent at all. In fact, many of us (myself included) were victims of violence. It feels like people think all voices that we hear tell us to go do something stupid or hurt someone. That's not true. Again, there can be times where voices will be abusive and very intrusive, but it's not always like that for all of us. I've never once in my life had one of my voices EVER tell me to hurt someone or commit a crime. I cannot speak for everyone else. I guess maybe, in that sense, I've had an easier time than some. Sometimes they'll say some wild stuff, but never have they condoned or pushed me to be violent.

I guess you could say here in the US the stigma is in the diagnosis and not just going to see a therapist. I know a woman who had some problems with depression so she took an antidepressant and no one batted an eye. At the same time though, I had another female friend who was diagnosed as bipolar and she gets avoided like the plague. Sure, the illnesses are different, but they are still people. After I was diagnosed, people automatically assumed I had voices in my head that were telling me to go kill a bunch of people. That's completely false. People just assume such things. I think a lot of it has to do with what people are exposed to. Most people who aren't familiar with these illnesses only know what they've seen on TV and in movies and often times a mentally ill person is portrayed as violent and hateful. Most of us are just trying to get through life like everyone else.

It's all kind of sad, really. I've found it best just to not even mention it to anyone at all. People often don't know how to react to it. If they do react at all, it's almost always negative unless they themselves have been touched by mental illness in some way. If I talk to people in my group about it, it's no big deal at all. If I try to talk to anyone else about it, they usually walk away.

I think it's viewed negatively here because when someone wants to appoint me to a psychiatrist, they always explain to me beforehand, "You're not going there because we think you're crazy, we're just helping you" or something along those lines.

Every time I hear this line, I get annoyed, I'm not one of those people who think that going to a psych means people think you're crazy... but whatever, they're just doing their job.

I've been to a psych twice in my life, one of it was when I was applying to be an Airforce Officer, they asked me stupid questions... like "Have you ever thought of suicide and what are some suicidal methods you thought about doing to yourself?"

I think one of the reason I failed that test was because I answered honestly, I said yes and listed the methods I thought about. But I'm never like depressed to the point where it will affect my work/studies.

Here in the States depending on which military recruiter you meet some may encourage you to completely lie about your past and to tell staff at the Military Entrance Processing Station that you've never done anything wrong and have no medical issues whatsoever, provided you can get away with some of the stuff you lie about and stay consistent.

I've been with a psychiatrist since I was 16 and now I'm 20. When I tried to enlist in the Army with intent of serving in the Special Forces, my recruiter told me what MEPS will only know what you tell them, provided your Military Occupation Specialty doesn't require a Top Secret Security Clearance. Having a history of depression and using psychiatric medication, along with seeing a psychiatrist/therapist normally disqualifies you from serving in any branch of the Armed Forces, and the possibility of a waiver is slim to none. I personally believed lying was wrong, so I told the truth and was disqualified from serving in the Army, and now I somewhat regret it.

It kind of sucks since I know of one person who has the same history as me and flat out lied to MEPS and is now a proud Marine.

Mayo2111wrote:
I guess you could say here in the US the stigma is in the diagnosis and not just going to see a therapist. I know a woman who had some problems with depression so she took an antidepressant and no one batted an eye. At the same time though, I had another female friend who was diagnosed as bipolar and she gets avoided like the plague. Sure, the illnesses are different, but they are still people. After I was diagnosed, people automatically assumed I had voices in my head that were telling me to go kill a bunch of people. That's completely false. People just assume such things. I think a lot of it has to do with what people are exposed to. Most people who aren't familiar with these illnesses only know what they've seen on TV and in movies and often times a mentally ill person is portrayed as violent and hateful. Most of us are just trying to get through life like everyone else.

It's all kind of sad, really. I've found it best just to not even mention it to anyone at all. People often don't know how to react to it. If they do react at all, it's almost always negative unless they themselves have been touched by mental illness in some way. If I talk to people in my group about it, it's no big deal at all. If I try to talk to anyone else about it, they usually walk away.

That's because many people--yes this includes your friends and family--associate ALL people who are diagnosed with a mental illness(severity not necessary), or see psychiatrist with this:

In the United States seeing a psychiatrist doesn't have a social stigma stuck to it, like it does in other countries like Ireland or the UK. The normal cultural view in American society of someone going to a psychiatrist is they are getting better and people don't have negative views about a person that goes to one. But in Ireland or the UK if you see a psychiatrist people think that your sick person and your crazy.

I was wondering what is norm for what people in your country think about people that see a psychiatrist or a psychologist?

where are you from?

most of us Brits pay no attention to it to be hoist . UK is one most laid back places were we don't give a F about other people problems

but i love nutty people just keep the overly nutty ones in a room please behind a locked door

I know this is highly inappropriate and probably really off topic, but this guy is cuuuuute.

On April 10, 1984, 9-year old Mei Leung was found dead in a hotel basement where Ramirez was living. This, his first known murder, was not initially identified as being connected to the crime spree. In 2009, Ramirez's DNA was matched to DNA obtained at the crime scene.[2]

On June 28, 1984, 79-year-old Jennie Vincow was found brutally murdered in her apartment in Glassell Park.[21] She had been stabbed repeatedly while asleep in her bed, and her throat was slashed so deeply that she was nearly decapitated.[22]

On March 17, 1985, Ramirez attacked 22-year-old Maria Hernandez outside her home in Rosemead, shooting her in the face with a .22 caliber handgun after she pulled into her garage.[23] Inside the home was her roommate Dayle Okazaki, age 34, whom Ramirez immediately shot and killed. Hernandez survived her attack because the bullet fired at her ricocheted off the keys she held in her hands as she lifted them to protect herself.[24]

Within an hour of the Rosemead home invasion, Ramirez struck again in Monterey Park. He attacked 30-year-old Tsai-Lian "Veronica" Yu and pulled her out of her car onto the road. He shot her twice with a .22 caliber hangun and fled.[25][26] A police officer found her still breathing, but she was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.[27] The two attacks occurring on the same day bolstered media attention, and in turn caused panic and fear among the public. The news media dubbed the attacker, who was described as having long curly hair, bulging eyes and wide-spaced rotting teeth, "The Walk-in Killer" and "The Valley Intruder".

On March 27, 1985, Ramirez entered a home that he had burglarized a year earlier in Whittier at approximately 2 a.m. and killed Vincent Zazzara, age 64, with a gunshot to his head from a .22 caliber handgun.[28] Zazzara's wife Maxine, age 44, was awakened by her husband's murder, and Ramirez beat her and bound her hands while demanding to know where her valuables were.[29] While he ransacked the room, Zazzara escaped her bonds and retrieved a shotgun from under the bed, which was not loaded.[30] An infuriated Ramirez shot her three times with the .22, then fetched a large carving knife from the kitchen.[31] Her body was mutilated with multiple stab wounds, and her eyes were gouged out and placed in a jewelry box, which Ramiriez left with.[31] The autopsy determined that the mutilations were post-mortem. Ramirez left footprints in the flower beds, which the police photographed and cast. This was virtually the only evidence that the police had at the time. Bullets found at the scene were matched to those found at previous attacks, and the police realized a serial killer was at large. Vincent and Maxine's bodies were discovered by their son, Peter.[32]

By now, a multi-county police investigation was in operation. The law enforcement agencies worked through the month of April with no additional attacks by Ramirez. Two months after killing the Zazzara couple, Ramirez attacked a married couple: Harold Wu, age 66, who was shot in the head; and his wife, Jean Wu, age 63, who was beaten, bound, and then violently raped. For unknown reasons on this occasion, Ramirez did not kill his victim. He left behind more clues to his identity, and was named "The Night Stalker" by the media. Survivors of his attacks provided the police with a description of a tall Hispanic man with long dark hair.

On May 30, 1985, Ramirez attacked Malvial Keller, 83, and her disabled sister, Blanche Wolfe, 80, beating each with a hammer. Ramirez attempted to rape Keller, but failed. Using lipstick, he drew pentagrams on Keller's thigh and on the wall in the bedroom. Wolfe survived the attack. The next day, Ruth Wilson, 41, was bound, raped, and sodomized by Ramirez, while her 12-year-old son was locked in a closet. Ramirez slashed Wilson once, and then bound her and her son together, and left.[33]

On July 5, 1985, Ramirez broke into a home in Sierra Madre and bludgeoned sixteen-year-old Whitney Bennett with a tire iron as she slept in her bedroom.[34] She survived the savage beating, which required 478 stitches to close the lacerations to her scalp.[35]

On July 7, 1985, Linda Fortuna, 63, was attacked and Ramirez tried to rape her, but failed.

On July 20, 1985, he again struck twice. In Sun Valley he shot and killed a 32-year-old man, Chitat Assawahem. His wife Sakima, 29, was beaten and forced to perform oral intercourse. Ramirez then collected valuables and proceeded to leave. Later in the same day a Glendale couple, Maxson Kneiding, 66, and his wife Lela, also 66, were shot and their corpses mutilated.

On August 6, 1985, Ramirez shot both Christopher Petersen, 38, and his wife, Virginia, 27, in the head. They both survived.

On August 8, Ramirez attacked a Diamond Bar couple, fatally shooting Ahmed Zia, 35, before raping, sodomizing, and forcing Zia's wife, Suu Kyi, 28, to perform oral sex on him. The description of their attacker fit the previous ones given for "The Walk-in Killer".
The mugshot of Ramirez that led to his apprehension

Ramirez, who had been following the media coverage of his crimes, left the Los Angeles area and headed to the San Francisco Bay area.[36] On August 18, 1985, Ramirez entered the home of Peter Pan, aged sixty-six, and killed the sleeping man with a gunshot to his temple from a .25 caliber handgun.[37] Pan's sixty-two-year-old wife Barbara was beaten and sexually violated before being shot in the head and left for dead.[38] At the crime scene Ramirez used lipstick to scrawl a pentagram and the phrase "Jack the Knife" on the bedroom wall.[38]

The next big break in the case came on August 24, 1985. Ramirez traveled 50 miles south of Los Angeles to Mission Viejo, and broke into the Mediterranean Village apartment of Bill Carns, 29, and his fiancée, Inez Erickson, 27. Ramirez shot Carns in the head and raped Erickson. He demanded she swear her love for Satan and afterwards, forced her to perform oral intercourse on him. He then tied her and left. Erickson struggled to the window and saw the car Ramirez was driving. She was able to give a description of both Ramirez and his orange Toyota station wagon.[39] A teenager later identified the car from news reports and wrote down half its license plate number. The stolen car was found on August 28, and police were able to obtain one fingerprint that was on the mirror of the vehicle. The prints belonged to Richard Muñoz Ramirez, who was described as a 25-year-old drifter from Texas with a long rap sheet that included many arrests for traffic and illegal drug violations.[

I suggest you see a shrink, since you think he is "cuuuuute" You need help.

I know this is highly inappropriate and probably really off topic, but this guy is cuuuuute.

On April 10, 1984, 9-year old Mei Leung was found dead in a hotel basement where Ramirez was living. This, his first known murder, was not initially identified as being connected to the crime spree. In 2009, Ramirez's DNA was matched to DNA obtained at the crime scene.[2]

On June 28, 1984, 79-year-old Jennie Vincow was found brutally murdered in her apartment in Glassell Park.[21] She had been stabbed repeatedly while asleep in her bed, and her throat was slashed so deeply that she was nearly decapitated.[22]

On March 17, 1985, Ramirez attacked 22-year-old Maria Hernandez outside her home in Rosemead, shooting her in the face with a .22 caliber handgun after she pulled into her garage.[23] Inside the home was her roommate Dayle Okazaki, age 34, whom Ramirez immediately shot and killed. Hernandez survived her attack because the bullet fired at her ricocheted off the keys she held in her hands as she lifted them to protect herself.[24]

Within an hour of the Rosemead home invasion, Ramirez struck again in Monterey Park. He attacked 30-year-old Tsai-Lian "Veronica" Yu and pulled her out of her car onto the road. He shot her twice with a .22 caliber hangun and fled.[25][26] A police officer found her still breathing, but she was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.[27] The two attacks occurring on the same day bolstered media attention, and in turn caused panic and fear among the public. The news media dubbed the attacker, who was described as having long curly hair, bulging eyes and wide-spaced rotting teeth, "The Walk-in Killer" and "The Valley Intruder".

On March 27, 1985, Ramirez entered a home that he had burglarized a year earlier in Whittier at approximately 2 a.m. and killed Vincent Zazzara, age 64, with a gunshot to his head from a .22 caliber handgun.[28] Zazzara's wife Maxine, age 44, was awakened by her husband's murder, and Ramirez beat her and bound her hands while demanding to know where her valuables were.[29] While he ransacked the room, Zazzara escaped her bonds and retrieved a shotgun from under the bed, which was not loaded.[30] An infuriated Ramirez shot her three times with the .22, then fetched a large carving knife from the kitchen.[31] Her body was mutilated with multiple stab wounds, and her eyes were gouged out and placed in a jewelry box, which Ramiriez left with.[31] The autopsy determined that the mutilations were post-mortem. Ramirez left footprints in the flower beds, which the police photographed and cast. This was virtually the only evidence that the police had at the time. Bullets found at the scene were matched to those found at previous attacks, and the police realized a serial killer was at large. Vincent and Maxine's bodies were discovered by their son, Peter.[32]

By now, a multi-county police investigation was in operation. The law enforcement agencies worked through the month of April with no additional attacks by Ramirez. Two months after killing the Zazzara couple, Ramirez attacked a married couple: Harold Wu, age 66, who was shot in the head; and his wife, Jean Wu, age 63, who was beaten, bound, and then violently raped. For unknown reasons on this occasion, Ramirez did not kill his victim. He left behind more clues to his identity, and was named "The Night Stalker" by the media. Survivors of his attacks provided the police with a description of a tall Hispanic man with long dark hair.

On May 30, 1985, Ramirez attacked Malvial Keller, 83, and her disabled sister, Blanche Wolfe, 80, beating each with a hammer. Ramirez attempted to rape Keller, but failed. Using lipstick, he drew pentagrams on Keller's thigh and on the wall in the bedroom. Wolfe survived the attack. The next day, Ruth Wilson, 41, was bound, raped, and sodomized by Ramirez, while her 12-year-old son was locked in a closet. Ramirez slashed Wilson once, and then bound her and her son together, and left.[33]

On July 5, 1985, Ramirez broke into a home in Sierra Madre and bludgeoned sixteen-year-old Whitney Bennett with a tire iron as she slept in her bedroom.[34] She survived the savage beating, which required 478 stitches to close the lacerations to her scalp.[35]

On July 7, 1985, Linda Fortuna, 63, was attacked and Ramirez tried to rape her, but failed.

On July 20, 1985, he again struck twice. In Sun Valley he shot and killed a 32-year-old man, Chitat Assawahem. His wife Sakima, 29, was beaten and forced to perform oral intercourse. Ramirez then collected valuables and proceeded to leave. Later in the same day a Glendale couple, Maxson Kneiding, 66, and his wife Lela, also 66, were shot and their corpses mutilated.

On August 6, 1985, Ramirez shot both Christopher Petersen, 38, and his wife, Virginia, 27, in the head. They both survived.

On August 8, Ramirez attacked a Diamond Bar couple, fatally shooting Ahmed Zia, 35, before raping, sodomizing, and forcing Zia's wife, Suu Kyi, 28, to perform oral sex on him. The description of their attacker fit the previous ones given for "The Walk-in Killer".
The mugshot of Ramirez that led to his apprehension

Ramirez, who had been following the media coverage of his crimes, left the Los Angeles area and headed to the San Francisco Bay area.[36] On August 18, 1985, Ramirez entered the home of Peter Pan, aged sixty-six, and killed the sleeping man with a gunshot to his temple from a .25 caliber handgun.[37] Pan's sixty-two-year-old wife Barbara was beaten and sexually violated before being shot in the head and left for dead.[38] At the crime scene Ramirez used lipstick to scrawl a pentagram and the phrase "Jack the Knife" on the bedroom wall.[38]

The next big break in the case came on August 24, 1985. Ramirez traveled 50 miles south of Los Angeles to Mission Viejo, and broke into the Mediterranean Village apartment of Bill Carns, 29, and his fiancée, Inez Erickson, 27. Ramirez shot Carns in the head and raped Erickson. He demanded she swear her love for Satan and afterwards, forced her to perform oral intercourse on him. He then tied her and left. Erickson struggled to the window and saw the car Ramirez was driving. She was able to give a description of both Ramirez and his orange Toyota station wagon.[39] A teenager later identified the car from news reports and wrote down half its license plate number. The stolen car was found on August 28, and police were able to obtain one fingerprint that was on the mirror of the vehicle. The prints belonged to Richard Muñoz Ramirez, who was described as a 25-year-old drifter from Texas with a long rap sheet that included many arrests for traffic and illegal drug violations.[

I suggest you see a shrink, since you think he is "cuuuuute" You need help.

Even psychopaths can be attractive. Check out this photo of the man who would become the barbaric Russian dictator Joseph Stalin. It was taken when he was in his early 20's.